The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Protection devices use padding to absorb impact energy and protect against injury to soft tissue, organs, and property. Protection devices including helmets, kneepads, elbow pads, and chest protectors contain padding to absorb impact energy. Designers of passenger compartments install impact-absorbing padding for occupant protection. Other protection devices include padding that is attached to walls and corners in corridors of buildings and padding associated with posts, utility poles, and equipment in recreational areas. Protection devices include padding material to protect devices from impact energy during shipment and/or in use. Padding material can undergo elastic and/or plastic deformation while absorbing compressive force and energy in response to an impact. Known padding used in protection devices is fabricated using homologous materials having a capacity for impact-absorption that varies with material temperature, which changes in response to changes in ambient temperature.